Rail-joint truss.



PATENTED APR. 14, 1908.

R. s. HA NDPORD. RAIL' JOINT muss. APPLICATION FILED JUN E 18,1907.

THE NoxRls Pz'rsxs c0.. WAShINGTGN, n c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT S. HANDFORD, OF BATESVILLE, ARKANSAS.

RAIL-JOINT TRUSS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT S. HANDroRD, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Batesville, in the county of Independence and State of Arkansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joint Trusses, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to rail joint trusses, and the principal object of the same is to pro vide simple, reliable and efl icient means for preventing the sinking of rail joints, and for holding the abutting ends of the rails firmly together in alinement to prevent the pound ing of the wheels inv assing over the joint.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a simple truss frame to be secured at its opposite ends to the rails at opposite sides of the joints, and to pass under a pair of ties which support the rails near the joint.

These and other objects may be attained by means of the construction illustrated in J the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rail joint truss made in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view and partial section of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 33 of Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the truss and clamp. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the wedges.

Referring to the drawing for a more particular description of my invention, the numeral 1 designates the meeting ends of a pair of railway rails, and 2 are the joint ties disposed at a slight distance beyond the joint 3 of the rails, and 4 are the supporting ties located at some distance back of the joint 3. The truss frame consists of a pair of steel rods of suitable size and strength, said rods being designated as 5 and provided with flattened central portions 6 upon which is secured a plate 7 by means of bolts or rivets 8. The rods 5 are oppositely inclined from the plate 7 and the ends of said rods are flattened as at 9 and disposed in vertical planes parallel one to the other to be secured upon opposite sides of the web portions of the rails by means of bolts 10 passing through the perforations 11 and through the web portions of the rails 1.

The joint ties 2 rest upon the lates '7, and suitable fish plates 12 are securec upon op 0- site sides of the rails at the joint 3, said fish plates being bolted to the web portions of the rails by suitable bolts 13. A clamp comprises two members 14, each having a hook Patented April 14., 1908.

Serial No. 878,721.

15 at its up er end designed to engage the flanges 16 of the fish plates, and provided with inwardly extending flanges 17 which engage the opposite sides of the plate 7 and the flattened portion 6 of the truss rod 5 as shown more particularly in Fig. 3. A bolt 18 passes through perforations 19 in the clamp members.

For leveling up the joint a air of wedges 20 each provided with spike ho es 21 is driven from opposite sides of the rails under the base flanges thereof and held in position by means of spikes 22, said spikes passin through notches formed in the edges of the fish plates 12.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that a rail joint truss made in accordance with my invention will securely hold the rail oints and prevent sinking of the same, that by the use of my invention much labor is saved in the tamping of rail joints.

My invention is of simple construction, can be assembled without much labor, and is reliable and efficient in use.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. A rail joint truss comprising truss rods secured at their ends to the rails and provided with a central plate upon which the joint ties rest, a clamp secured to said plate and engaging the rails, and wedges adapted to 'be driven upon opposite sides of the rails and secured by spikes to the ties, substantially as described.

2. A rail joint truss comprising a truss frame, fish plates secured to the rails at the joints, a clamp connected to the truss frame and to the fish plates, and wedges for leveling the joint, said wedges being provided with spike holes for accommodating spikes to be driven into the ties.

3. A truss frame for rail joints comprising truss rods having flattened ends secured to the webs of the rails, a flattened central portion, a plate secured thereto, fish plates for connecting the rails at the joint, a clamp comprising two members engaging the plate and the fish plates, and oppositely disposed wedges.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT S. HANDFORD.

Witnesses:

DENE H. COLEMAN, E. F. DE CAMP. 

